Publication

Abstract : Foodborne illnesses are an emerging concern as they result in adverse health issues, and they occur due to improper handling, processing, storing, packaging, and transportation of food. Especially in the pandemic scenario, we have witnessed many safety protocols to prevent ourselves from deadly infections; food handling, processing, and secure packaging are also no exceptions. Various food packaging materials have been explored and investigated for several decades based on perspectives of green synthesis, low-cost, eco-friendly, and recyclable nature. In this context, Halloysite nanotubes (HNTs or Hals) have been recently explored for their potential applications in food packaging. The recent advancements and the state-of-the-art of HNTs used for food packaging applications have been emphasized in this chapter. HNTs used as nanofillers with chitosan-based composites, (chitosan/HNT/tea polyphenol (TP) composite, HNT-chitosan films incorporated with clove essential oil (CEO), and ajwain seed oil (ASO)-NaOH-HNT-based chitosan composite), Biowastes incorporated HNTs (potato starch/HNT/ PVA/PEG composites, thermoplastic starch (TPS)/polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT)/HNT composite, zein/halloysite nano-containers, litchi shell extract (LSE)/gaur gum/carboxymethyl cellulose/HNTs, corn starch/HNT nanocomposite incorporated with antimicrobial peptides and aldehyde/Kappa-carrageenan/gelatin/HNT composite), bio-nanocomposites by chemical compounds (essential oil (EO)/cyclodextrins (CD)/HNT nanoencapsulation, polylactic acid (PLA)/HNTs bio-nanocomposite films, thyme oil-encapsulated HNTs, HNTs/functional pectin bio-nanocomposites, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/ cellulose nanocrystals (CNC)/HNT nanocomposites, and alginate-HNT/ZnO nanocomposite films) have been highlighted toward exploring in food packaging applications. The vital properties of the materials concerning the food packaging applications, such as mechanical (tensile strength, Elongation at break, Young's Modulus), barrier (water vapor permeability and water vapor transfer rate), structural, active, thermal, and ecological properties, have been discussed. Further, looking for a way forward, HNTs serve as major role players in the emerging trends of exploring active packaging materials.